BOYNTON FIREFIGHTERS SEEK MORE PAY WHEN TESTIFYING

BOYNTON BEACH -- Representatives of the city's Fire Department union clashed Thursday with City Manager Peter Cheney over a concession Cheney said primarily may benefit firefighters who work second jobs.

Firefighters and paramedics want to be paid a four-hour minimum when they are called on their days off to testify in court proceedings related to accidents or fires they worked.

They are currently paid a two-hour minimum.

"We have to come home, shower and drive up to the courthouse," said firefighter Ed Sisko. "I don't think the four hours we asked for is too much."

But Cheney, deducing that firefighters would be coming home from a second job, said the city would not grant the extra hours just to make it easier for firefighters to work another job.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't give a damn how it affects your other job," Cheney said. "All I care about is what I assume is your first and most important job, with the Fire Department.

"You'll have to adjust the requirements of that other job to meet requirements of being a firefighter. And if those requirements get in the way and make that other job inconvenient, then that's the way life goes."

But if more than two hours are spent at the courthouse, then the firefighters should be paid for it, he added. Cheney said he will review records on how much time is spent there before the next negotiation meeting.

Cheney and Personnel Director Bill Sullivan estimated that most city firefighters work a second job. An attempt to contact Sisko Thursday evening was unsuccessful.

The union, represented by Local 1851 of the International Fire Fighters, is also asking for a 10 percent raise, a sick leave pool and the ability to sell unused sick leave back to the city.

The latter two requests are concessions granted to the Police Department union in recent years.